Improvement in apparatus for soldering tin cans



JOHN F. MERRILL.

Improvement. ih Apparatus for Soidering Tin Cans,

P-atentedJamZ, 1872.

INVEN'I'OR JOHN F. MERRILL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING TIN CANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,477, dated January 2,1872.

, described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the different devices employed by me in a detached condition. Fig. 2 is a view, partially elevated 1 and partially in section, showing one stage of the operation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section, showing the last step in the operation.

The appliances employed by me consist essentially of aholder or receiver, A, a longitudinally-divided conical expander, B, and a cylindrical plunger, 0, the details of which are arranged as follows: The receiver A flares toward its upper end, and has turned in it, near its top, a bead, at, whose internal swell or convexity serves as a ledge or shoulder to support the sealing-trough, as hereafter described. The lower and narrower portion of said receiver is provided with a series of apertures, D, which are designed to admit the operators fingers so as to facilitate the manipulation of the can w hen placed within the receiver, The entire holder, together with its bottom E, may be made of stout tin or sheet-iron, although any other material may be employed which is strong enough and sufticiently light to be handled with facility. The conical expander B is narrower at bottom than at top, and is split longitudinally on one or more sides, as at b, andthe upper end of said expander is secured in an annular socket, f, of the cap or cover F.

This cap has a marginal rim, G, which is adap ted to fit snugly within the mouth of the rei ceiver A. Adapted to traverse expander B is.

the cylindrical plunger 0, which may be either hollow, as shown, or solid, and said plunger is provided with a handle, H, whose downward projections h play within the slots f of the cap.

The above-described appliances are operated in the following manner: In their normal condition, as shown in Fig. 1, the receiver A is separated from the devices B O and the plunger is elevated, as shown in Figs. 1. and 2, said plunger being maintained in its elevated condition on account of the oblique projections h of the handle binding within the slots f. The bottom I of the fruit-can is then dropped into the receiver A and allowed to rest upon the member E of the latter, after which the sealing-trough J is applied so as to be supported on the ledge a. This being done the piece of sheet metal K that is to constitute the body of the can, and which has been previously cut to the proper shape, is then inserted so as to fit within the upturned marginal flange z of the bottom I, and also within the sealing-trough J. The apertures D, by admitting the ends of the tinners fingers, greatly facilitate this stage of the operation.

The location of these various members I J K within the receiver will be readily understood by referring to the sectionized portions of Fig. 2. The bottom, the trough, and the body of the can being thus properly located in the holder, the next stage of the process is as follows: r

' The expander B is introduced into the body K of the can and allowed to descend therein until its annular rim G rests upon the top of the trough J, and thus serves to maintain the latter in a proper position with reference to the upper end of said body. The operator, by

pressing upon the handle A, forces down the plunger 0, thereby expanding the member B and causing the body of the can to lit tightly within the flange t and sealing-trough J, which condition of the several parts is shown in Fig.

' 3. As this enlargement of the expander B has united the body temporarily to its bottom and trough, they are therefore readily withdrawn from the receiver and soldered, the handle H enabling the workman to perform this part of the operation with the utmost ease and inthe' most rapid manner. The sealing-trough and bottom being thus soldered to the body ofthe can, the operator now draws upon the handle H so as to retract the plunger 0, which allows the expander to collapsea sufficient distance to permit the ready withdrawal of thecomplete can.

The flange G does not form an essential part of the invention, but is oreferably used, espeexpander B b, plunger G, and cap or cover F- oially in constructing the particular form of f, as set forth, either with or without the flange can shown in the drawing. G

m In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand. I claim as my invention-- 1. The holder A a 1) E and longitudinallydivided expander B I), constructed and com- Witnesses: binedto operate substantially as set forth. GEO. H. KNIGHT,

} JOHN F. MERRILL.

2. The combination of the holder A a D E, JAMES H. LAYMAN. (136) 

